Post-splicing clamp



H. O. McMlLLAN.

POST SFLICING CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 4. 1919.

1,344,139; Patented June 22,1920.

I /Vowa//@ %'/7///dn a) my Ana/mm UNITEDFPSTTAFTESI PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD O. Mdll/IILLAN, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,.HowAR1) O. MOMIL- LAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Post- Splicing Clamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its objectto provide an extremely'simple and highly eflicient post splicing clamp; and to such ends, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims. I

In the erection of concrete Work, especially floors, and for many other purposes, posts (the term post being used in a broad sense), are required to support temporary overhead structures, such as floor forms, for example. Posts used for this purpose should be used over and over again and at different times are required to be of different lengths. Hitherto, the devices used for temporarily splicing the postsections, such as nails, screws, bolts, and the like, have caused the posts to be greatly damaged in taking them down and readjusting the same for later application. Moreover, such de. vices have not been as strong as required and the posts have usually been weakened by their application.

My improved clamps are adapted for application to overlapped ends of post sections and without damage thereto, to clamp the overlapped portions of the post sections together so that the post will. be stronger at the lapped joint than at any other place. Moreover, these clamps permit ready adjustments of the post by securing the lapped ends lapped to any desired extent.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a perspective view showing two clamps designedin accordance with my invention and applied to overlapped ends of post sections;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the POST-SPLICING CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 22, 1920, Application filed November- 4, 1919.

parts shown in F ig. 1, showing also a portion of thepost section; and

Fig. 3 is-a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2, some parts being sectioned on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a detail in elevation modified form of lock-key.

The post sections are indicated by the numeral 4:. Each clamp comprises a yoke 5, preferably made integral from a single piece of flat sheet steel bent into rectangular U- shaped form. The numeral 6 indicates a clamp shaft or eccentric,,which, at its ends, has trunnions 7 located eccentric to its axis and journaled in the prongs of the yoke 5. The eccentric clamping shaft 6 is provided with diametrically extended key seats or slots 8 preferably located at ninety degrees, the one to the other,'and offset longitudinally of the shaft. The numeral 9 indicates a lock key, preferably of rectangular or L- shaped form in side elevation. The outer end of this key is adapted to be inserted in either of the key seats 8.

In assembling the parts of the clamp and in applying the same around the overlapped ends of the post sections, or in removing the clamps, one of the prongs of the yoke 5 may be sprung laterally out of engagement with the cooperating trunnion 7. This permits the clamps to be readily applied or removed while the post sections are overlapped.

By means of a strong bar, the end of which will. fit in the seats 8 of the clamping eccentric or shaft 6, the said shaft may be rotatedand forced against the adjacent face of the post section under great force and until the post sections are clamped together with proper frictional action necessary to hold the same, and then the key 9 can be inserted, as shown in the drawings, into one or the other of the key seats 8, and then al lowed to anchor it and press against the adjacent face of the post section. The key may be applied either as shown in Fig. 2, or it may be reversed, so that its elbow will engage the post, and this provides for numerous and close adjustments.

When the clamps are'applied exactl at a right angle to the post sections, the-c amping action is purely frictional, but if the upper post section should slip downward so as to give a slight downward inclination to showing a the pronged ends of the yokes, or if the clamps be primarily applied atthis slight an le, then the yokes will act under tension with very greatly increased force to prevent further downward slipping of the upper post section. In actual practice, these clamps have been found highly efficient for y the purposes had in view. They may be quickly appliedand' quickly removed, may be made at comparatively small cost, and last indefinitely, and their use not only saves time, but, effects a large saving by preventing damage to the timbers of .the posts.

The lock key shown in Fig. 4; and desig nated by the character 9 will permit the eccentric to be locked in more or less dif' ferent positions than will the lock key shown in the other views, and for some purposes it is therefore preferred.

What I claim is:

1. .1 splicing; clamp of the kind described comprising a yoke, an eccentric clamping shaft and a key, said shaft, at its ends being eccentrically mounted in the arms of 1, said yoke, and said key being detachably interlockable with said eccentric shaft and adapted to bear against the post to lock the eccentric in the clamping position. i

2. A splicing clampiof the kind described comprising a yoke, an eccentric clamping shaft and ti key, saidshaft, at its ends being. eccentrically. mounted in the arms of, said yoke, and said: key being detachably interlockable with said eccentric shaft and adapted to bear against the" post to lock the eccentric in the clamping position, and an arm of said yoke being detachably engageable with said shaft by lateral movement.

3; A clamp of the kind described comprising a U-shaped spring metal yoke, an eccentric shaft having at its ends eccentrically located trunnions detachably journaled in the arms of said yoke, said shaft having diametricalkey seats, anda key detachably engageable with said key seats to lock said shaft in different clamping posi tions.

4; A clamp of the kind described comprising a U-shaped spring metal yoke, an eccentric shaft havingat its ends eccentrically located trunnions detachably journaled in the arms of said yoke, said shaft having diametrical: keyseats, a key detachably engageable with said key seats to lock said shaft in different clamping positions, the'said'key being approximately L.-shaped and adapted for application in said seats in differently turned positions of? said key and ofisaid shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. V

HOVVA-RD MQMILLAN.

Witnesses:

WrNIrRnD I. WARD, HARRY; D. Krncomi- 

